House Majority Whip James Clyburn Champions His Bill to Save the US Post Office and America's Right to Vote-by-Mail
House Majority Whip James Clyburn is the third-ranking Democrat in the United States House of Representatives, and as the Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis, he is uniquely positioned to comment on the challenge our nation faces heading into the 2020 Presidential Election, specifically as it relates to the war on the post office as Trump seeks re-election by sabotaging the USPS ability to support America's right to vote-by-mail. The Democratic Congressman from South Carolina discusses the races in his home state, Biden's strong pick of Kamala Harris as his running mate, and Michelle Obama's speech at the DNC. James and Al truly wish they were in Milwaukee, and they dissect the latest revelations from the Senate Intelligence Committee which point to mounting evidence of collusion.
Show Notes:
01:15 – Welcome Congressman Clyburn
01:55 – House Bill on USPS to stop Trump's attack on vote-by-mail
02:40 - October is Voting Month
04:10 – The Post Office connects us to the world
05:15 - If Postmaster DeJoy breaks the law, we will deal with him
05:40 - Jaime Harrison has a good shot to beat Lindsay Graham in SC
06:15 - Joe Cunningham should win
08:30 - Youth and people of color will vote this year
09:45 - Kamala Harris was my top 3 choices
11:00 - Michelle Obama's speech at the DNC
13:55 - Proud of his PhD daughter
15:40 - Story of giving peaches to John Lewis
17:00 - USC and Clemson-LSU rivalry
18:00 - More stimulus relief for state & local employees
22:00 - Convention talk with James & Al
24:00 - James wishes he was in Milwaukee
25:25 - James' suggestion: Vegas, baby!
27:20 - The Collusion equation
31:00 - The party is not a cult, but a coalition that evolves
Transcript:
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Hi, and welcome to 2020 file ticks war room with James Carville. I'm Al hunt. We're proud partners with a sign Institute, American university. We can't wait to get back. This is clearly a very big week, a marquee week. So you got to have James. If you have a marquee week, you gotta have a marquee guest and we do, but first I want to thank all of our listeners and subscribers on Apple podcast, Stitcher.
And every place else now to our marquee guests, you know, James, if Joe Biden and Carla Harris are the people, the, our, our guests. Is the keeper of that clock. How's Quip. Jim Cliburn has half Carolina, more than late mayor Daley, Jim barley, or Mark Hannah. He's the King maker whose February endorsement paved the way for Joe Biden's Carnation.
This week. You look at the race in two way BC before Cliburn and AC after Cliburn Congressman, we are honored to have you join us in an incredibly busy week. Thank you.
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:02:02] Well, thank you very much for having me. I don't know about that team maker stuff, but, uh, Uh, I, uh, I'm hopeful. We can bring this home as dams Cabella said, I hope we can stick the landing.
Al Hunt: [00:02:15] Where were you? You certainly start. Let me, let me, before we get to politics, let me or presidential politics. Let me, let me start with a couple critical legislative questions on Saturday. You're the house Quip on Saturday. The house is going to pass a big postal bill aimed at stopping the Trump administration's efforts from impeding any mail voting.
This fall, I'm sure you have the votes to pass it. Are you going to get any Republicans support? And can you back Trump down on this?
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:02:42] I don't know if we get in Republican support on it, but I assume we do. Uh, I know that there is Republican support for it here in South Carolina. I've heard some, some, uh, some of them already today, uh, wanting to make sure that we have, uh, enhanced ballot boxes.
Uh, in addition to, uh, in-person voting much like they do in Colorado. So I think that the whole concept is catching on. Uh, I've just got off the phone with my staff up there, a time that to mix fuel, uh, that the language we have in this, this bill will let States know that they ought to keep in mind social distancing.
When they start talking about, uh, early voting or absentee boarding. Uh, so that we can put money in that to assist States, uh, the added expense of having multiple workers working earlier and more day, rather than the election day, we need to declare a for all practical purposes. Yeah, not a bye. Liz, this lesson I told to be, uh, election month, uh, to run up to election day.
So we got to do this. I mean, we will not have people putting themselves at risk of just to vote
Al Hunt: [00:04:06] Congressman a lot of the talk about that poster was about money, but isn't the most important part, the most important element. To stop the postal service from cutting back on essential services. I pay a hiring freeze, stop them from doing that.
You need more people with you. Avalanche of mail voting, treating ballot applications of, as they have in the past is first-class to get priority mail trucks going out when they're full. Uh, isn't that really the important stuff that comes on that gets overlooked in this?
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:04:36] Absolutely. And that's going to be in this bill, uh, this whole stuff about the having, uh, less than first class mail for voting.
That is just not what we ought to be doing. I think we ought to recognize the fact that this, uh, the post office. Uh, it's embedded in our constitution. Uh, the post office is the critical part of most, almost any community. I call it this thread, uh, that has scale, uh, the fabric of our nation together. Uh, it's what makes us one the post office more than anything else that I could think of a, it has been the element.
Uh, institution, if you will, in these rural communities that have kept them connected to the rest of the world. And so we shouldn't violate that in any way.
Al Hunt: [00:05:38] do you trust the new post postmaster general, the joy to abide by any of those elements that you pass in the face of pressure from the white house?
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:05:49] Absolutely not. No. I got. And that's why I think we need to make it clear this language, that anything to the contrary, that I will lead to him being hauled before the Congress and hopefully, uh, uh, dealt with, uh, as if, as if he didn't have a criminal brick in the wall. James Carville
James Carville: [00:06:11] for Congress said all politics is local.
Let's talk a little bit about TAC Carolina. And the cook report just moved to South Carolina Senate Senate, right? He's the Democrat, Jamie Harrison against him incumbent Republican Lindsey Graham from a likely Republican to lean Republican. Does that reflect what you've seen and feeling on the ground in South Carolina?
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:06:32] Absolutely. It does. Except that I I'm, I'm getting to the point where I think I'll call this middle toss up. I know that me thinking about my approach, ed, but. Uh, in my mind, it's a toss up. I think Kenny can pull this off. He has run a great campaign. I've never seen a campaign run the way that this one has been run.
Nothing is out there. And while he's doing an outstanding job, he's raising, uh, the money that you, nobody expected him to raise. He is pulled in. Well, he used to find himself in a way that most South Carolinians, even the ones. With all plan to vote for him, or just admired the way he's conducted himself in his campaign.
And he's winning over independence and he's beaten in, uh, Lindsey and the independence. So if he holds that.
James Carville: [00:07:31] Wow. And my friend Joe Cunningham, we're in the first district that coastal district got a bunch, a lot of your district too. Is he, how's he doing it? He's a big target for the Republicans.
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:07:42] I think Joe is going to be fine.
Uh, he has, uh, saw the, uh, celebrity, uh, as his opponent, uh, the young way to who has three Republican nomination. That was the first woman to graduate. Uh, from the Citadel, uh, she's not the first to attend, but she was the first to graduate. Uh, and, uh, that is, uh, has made her some of them celebrity, uh, but, uh, I think Joe is running the solid camp.
And then I think he's going to get reelected, you know,
James Carville: [00:08:14] one of the things and tell them politics are not quite as long as you, but almost. And one of the problems that we have is, is we need to April, we had Democrats across the South of the country. We have a
Al Hunt: [00:08:30] very good
James Carville: [00:08:32] turnout ratio would older African-Americans we have traditionally lagged behind w younger, do you see activity assigns that that is going to change and we can get more younger people.
Uh, particularly more younger people of color to vote in this election. And when traditionally
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:08:48] do I think so, and I think a lot of it has to do with people being able to see folks who look like them involved in this process, not just as candidate, uh, but as talking heads and et cetera. Uh, when you see, uh, people in your age group, Uh, on the television set, talking about, uh, politics and, and voting.
And you see that they've got the kind of experiences a lot of these people were being seen for the first time. This year, a lot of young people who were involved in the Obama administration, uh, I'm talking about people with color. It was unknown. Uh, people didn't know, uh, they now see that. And they identified with men.
And I think they're bringing a lot of young people into this. I think that's what's happening with Jamie. Uh, when Jamie came back here to run the democratic party, he spent 40 years as out shit. He developed a group of young people recruiting four to six every year. He did that. He's in his fifth year.
And so many of those young people are now in the state legislature. A lot of them are sitting the counselors and school boards all over South Carolina. And of course, you know, Jimmy being new years came to me with the idea. I told him, I thought it was a great idea. He came back a little while later and told me, he said, well, no, I'm getting ready to do this thing.
And I'm going to call him Kleiber and smell this. I thought he was doing me a big favor. I said, well, that's great. and he said, I need $50,000 to get started. So, so, uh, he's done it well, and I still support it. I still support it.
Al Hunt: [00:10:36] Let's let's go to this convention, this virtual convention, but let me start with Kamala Harris talking about the Harris factor and this election, and you can tell us now, was she your first, second or third choice?
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:10:49] Uh, all of the above. Yeah,
Al Hunt: [00:10:53] boy, I can see why you're so successful.
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:10:55] Look, I, uh, I never told, uh, Jill, uh, that I had any one choice. I be talking about, uh, 10 or 12 people that he had in mind. And, uh, we talked about pluses and the minuses and talk about applying the head and the heart. And I said to him, Uh, what I want you to do is that the veteran take place with the polar tech players.
And when they come back with their results, you apply your head and your heart. And quite frankly, uh, this thing went all the way down, uh, to, in, in, and you had, there were three people still on his mind right up to near the end. And then I said, the last thing I said to him, I said, well, don't let your heart get in the way of your head and that's the way we left it.
And so this is what he, uh, decided to do. Uh, and I've made, he made direct source a season, excellent candidates. He's acquitted herself very well, uh, during the campaign for president and as he had been elected statewide in California, cause he's a grit. The beta is what you need to compliment the tickets.
He has the password. Uh, that, uh, duel biom, uh, has the compassion. And I think they're going to make a brick team
Al Hunt: [00:12:18] Congressman. There has been ever since your endorsement, almost that the schisms in the party have certainly been lessen, but there's still some griping from the left I saw today. And a bunch of left-wingers were complaining that your colleague AOC only got one minute to talk at the convention.
Does that worry you any.
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:12:41] Well, I was sitting there. I only got three
Al Hunt: [00:12:45] you're the whip
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:12:46]. Yeah, I'm the majority whip. I fit that, uh, um, that for the second time, um, the I'm 80 years old, I've been in this business for a long time and I've got a lot of it, but to me, um, I would rather have three quality minutes than 20.
A minute's a filibuster wind. So I'll just make that, um, that's in, uh, uh, determine the quality. I heard her speech last night. I thought it was a great speech. Uh, and I thought it was milling in one minute. Uh, it's a, this is a whole lot in the time. This is you had, and I thought it was a great speech. I liked it a lot,
Al Hunt: [00:13:31] sir.
You've been the other democratic conventions, the pandemic force this to be different, to be virtual. Are we ever going to get back to real in-person conventions? Should we, and if so, how should they be reshaped?
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:13:44] Well, I think we probably get back to him in person to convince him, but I think it would be much different than what we've had in the past because of the mentions in the past, or grew into being the one big festival casing.
Now it's great. The, to have infested occasions. But I can, I think you can do it, uh, with much less, uh, of the, um, the rest of the expenses that have been involved in the class. I think the way we've done this this year, uh, we'll redefine how we do conventions going forward. And maybe we can have, uh, things done in two parts and meet for a weekend, uh, rather than having stressing out a whole week.
And that's just gotten to be too expensive.
James Carville: [00:14:39] So Congressman I know something about you on own personal thing, that you have a daughter that is a PhD it's very active. Could you tell our subscribers, our listeners a little bit about, about your daughter? Cause I think it's a great story.
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:14:54] Well, uh, Jennifer is an outstanding, uh, Person who, uh, decided when she graduated college, uh, or when she graduated master's yeah, she told me she wanted to major in political science.
So James, you can, the math. And I said the rest of the women, uh, I don't think that's anything you want to mention, man. You can't do much with that. Uh, you know, if you hit the city politics, if you build a mine in the art of it, But she insisted. Then she went on to college, got a degree in political science.
And then she came to me and said, uh, I think I wanted to go to graduate school. And, um, I had already paid for four years of college. I said, well, I don't know about this graduate school of business. He go be on your own. I told you not the amazing political science in the first place. I said, what are you trying to get another degree yet?
Cause I don't have a master's degree in teaching. I pulled out my credit card and give it to him. And she went and got a massive green kitchen in the middle and got a doctorate. So spent 25 years in the classroom. Uh, after 25 years, he went to the university of South Carolina as a administrator, and she's now retired and working full time in this campaign, running my campaign.
And a lot of people think that, um, the CEO would be where I am an hour would be where she is. So we'll see what happens in the future.
James Carville: [00:16:19] So I've got some tough questions for you now, what do you like about a yellow peaches of white peaches?
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:16:25] Well, let me tell you, I like soccer. A lot of
James Carville: [00:16:27] pitches
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:16:29] pizzas. I give pizzas to my colleagues on the Hill, uh, every year.
And we just did that about three weeks ago. And one year, uh, about four or five years ago, I'll give him a piece of John Lewis came up to me. He says, man, uh, those are great peaches. Not be very much. I said, you do know. That those pizza did not come from Georgia. He said, yeah, we got the name, but y'all got the peaches.
And so we give them out and people love the Sakharov pizzas. There they're much better than judge pizzas. They all give up their name. So
James Carville: [00:17:04] I know you were in new Orleans for the LSU Clemson game, but when the Gamecocks play the tigers, uh, be tough here, but which way you leaned.
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:17:15] Well, uh, so the university of South Carolina is in my district.
I'm a great friend of the president of the Clemson. I send students up there. I just gave out 175 scholarships this year. About 10 of them went to Clemson university and the president called me, uh, told me, uh, president Clemens of the new brick France. Uh, but I got to go with my constituents. When the game is all, uh, this past year I was really tall because, you know, uh, I I'm a Clemson.
I was asked to win the championship. Uh, y'all had a quarterback down there, LSU. I went down to that game and I found myself tone with him. I wanted to see him do well, but you know, game. So that's the kind of thing I go through. Every time it comes from the Carolina players, I, I have splits on my staff. Uh, but it all depends what the, it is as to who I favor the most and all friends who got the best answer or one of the tenants
James Carville: [00:18:22] before
Al Hunt: [00:18:22] we let you go. You've been so kind with your time. Just one more question about this legislative battle over the next month about the relief, uh, state and local governments are going broke. Uh, are you going to be Trump's resisting, but are you going to be able to provide the kind of assistance they need for voting and other things?
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:18:43] Well, that's one of the things I was talking to staff about today, because I think we've got to at least support state government and helping them to make it easier for people to vote, especially in this pandemic the year that we are operating in. Uh, but we had put everything that's needed in the heroes app.
I think that the public has got to weigh in now because mr. McAllen has decided he's not going to bring it. Yeah. The thing to the floral, unless the president agrees to it. And so I do believe that that all would be an issue in this campaign if they don't do with RAC, by state and local governments. I think aside from those state and local governments to get actively involved in this campaign, this fault that to me, Is a part of what this campaign is all about.
The whole fabric of our nation, uh, spread it to pieces, uh, after this election, if you're not careful. And so I'm hopeful that all these state and local people get involved in this camp and this year, they all get involved in the front end effort. Matt, when you get back up there in September, they ought to come on to the Capitol road and assist.
That deal gets voted on, uh, cause they lose about a trillion dollars, uh, these local. So I'm not going to be able to function if they had to close down or lay off employees and closed our governments, school boards are going to find themselves in dire consequences, go swim in and then have attended upon state and local governments to function.
So I just was hoping to just, uh, do right or, uh, this should get involved in a campaign and make it the issue.
Al Hunt: [00:20:27] James final thoughts with our guests,
James Carville: [00:20:29] my father audience, just as a new Orleanean. I really want to thank you for helping mentor Cedric. Cause he looks like he's doing quite well. And I, I think that young man has a real future in the democratic party.
And I know it was a large part of the fact that you've helped him along his way. So
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:20:45] we thank you. Well, thank you very much for sending me a Mark. I got with him even though know that the first time he went out, he lost. I went down to new Orleans and sat down with him. And I said to her, don't you drop out?
Or this policy, can you stay engaged? Uh, I think that you've got a great future. Well, two years later he got elected, uh, and he is not coaching in the presidential campaign. He has a great future and I'm so pleased to have been a part of it. And I hope. Uh, that the people of, uh, uh, Louisiana that keeps sending them up here for as long as he kid it's a rock,
James Carville: [00:21:26] I think he's got real, real broad supports are really
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:21:29] doing
James Carville: [00:21:30] well, you know, terribly proud of him and terribly appreciative that you were able to mentor him and, you know, make him into effective political figure he is today.
And I just can't. Thank you enough. We're coming on our show. It's a big honor.
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:21:47] Yes, sir. You guys know a long time. He won't tell you how long I've known him. Yes, ma'am.
Al Hunt: [00:21:53] I'm clever. And thank you. You'll always be our King maker.
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:21:56] Okay. Thank you, sir. Thank you guys. Okay, bye.
Alright,
Al Hunt: [00:22:08] James, let's do a little convention talk. I'm first going to be honest. I don't watch much of it. I watch other things I did watch. Uh, Michelle Obama's extraordinary speech on Monday night. I thought Jill Jill Biden, just radiated authenticity on Tuesday. Jim Cliburn has captured. What Camila is. And I think, you know, be interesting to watch Joe Biden on Thursday night.
I think they're doing as well as could be done with the convention. It's more of an entertainment show with somebody times with, uh, with the starless is the MCs. Um, the one thing I did catch, which I thought the only thing I caught, which I thought didn't work was that. 17 people all being the keynote speakers.
It was a little bit schmaltzy, but I think the Democrats that any ruptures are, bye there've been healed or they're not apparent. And, uh, yeah, I, I think they're gonna, they're gonna come out of this thing in as good, if not stronger shape than they went in. And that's all you can ask for in a convention.
James Carville: [00:23:10] It is, I would look the first time you do something. It always started. I encourage in 10 years, I think Tuesday night was better than Monday night. I watch it a little bit more than you not after, but, you know, I just got a comment on it after, but, but I've been in every democratic convention since 84 and there are actually can be kind of fun particularly, you know?
I mean, you get to see everybody and, you know, it's a kind of gathering of, of. You know, it's a political version of Mardi Gras.
Al Hunt: [00:23:42] I want to add to that because I want to pick up a winch and yeah, it's that, and that's great, but I think it's more important than that. Actually, a dentist have conventions every year.
Journalists have conventions. Every year. I think the idea of politicians from all over the country getting together, it's a nominated president is a really good thing. They can talk to each other. They can talk shop. They can get to know different people. Yeah. I think far too, we went, you know, we just went overboard with the parties and the money and the balloons, but I like the idea.
It doesn't have to be before days. It shouldn't be maybe Jim Clyburn's right. It should be over weekend. Uh, and I I'd say something else, very parochially. It's very good for journalists. It's a chance to meet and talk to people in that kind of an environment. And I have people that I met at conventions.
James, I hate to say this back in the seventies, who I still hear from,
Rep. James Clyburn: [00:24:37] you know,
James Carville: [00:24:38] some things in life that everybody on both sides, everything they're saying is true. Alright. They have come expensive. They have become boring. They have come predictable at all. That's true. And they're also, if you're a delegate, but you, you notice when you sign up, it's kind of expensive.
I mean, you put something into it. But it, it just, if anything, it is a chance every four years for people to have some similar ideology, you know, some blood involvement, politics to get together. And I think it produces, but understand all the arguments against it and they're all valid and maybe we should shorten them.
Yeah. Or, or do whatever, but on the whole. I still wish I was in Milwaukee.
Al Hunt: [00:25:36] Yeah, I do too. So I also regret it cause I think Milwaukee is a really interesting town and it's a shame they haven't gotten the chance to showcase. I would bet I would bet you know, a whole bunch of money that the convention will be in Milwaukee in 2024.
Uh, but I think you're right. I think they ought to be publicly financed. Uh, I think Nancy Pelosi has just that Republican and Democrat shortened, not nearly as expensive. Uh, you don't have to make it the great television extravaganza. I think the educational factor has been exaggerate and we're not going to go.
I mean, I went to my second or third convention was 76 where you went in there, the Republicans not knowing who was going to be the nominee. That was really exciting. We're not going to replicate that probably, but your point is right. I mean, people from Oregon spend some time with some other city counselors or other state reps, uh, from.
Uh, Alabama is a good thing. And, uh, let's hope we go back to it.
James Carville: [00:26:33] Look, this is my proposal. I'll throw it out, whereas where it never happened, but I would have a public funded and I would have them in the same city because it was save a lot of money right in the city. I would have it in is Las Vegas in the only argument against Las Vegas is blistering hot in August.
But the argument for it is they have more capacity than you can imagine. The prices are reading really cheap that time of year, they would kick in a lot of money to have, you know, that many tourists coming to the city. Particularly if you had the democratic and Republican convention, you can, you know, you can build the same podium and you give them, you know, you have a.
Week difference between the two and they can put web banners of budding that they want to fit their particular party. But why wouldn't we do that in that way? Journalists and TV would set up and it would be cheaper for them, for the networks. It'd be cheaper for everybody. Of course, you and I have to there's a thousand times you don't get any votes in Wisconsin for being in Milwaukee and no one can call you to San Francisco Democrats.
Everybody's in the same place. And plus you're in the Pacific time zone, which really makes it fun. It conventions because you're out and you're done by eight 39 o'clock
Al Hunt: [00:28:02] I agree with that. And also the other, the other bonus is we can check and see which politicians go visit Oscar Goodman's mob museum in Las Vegas.
Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Not sure with the venue, but, um, but I can be persuaded. Let's um, you know, we're gonna have another, this week we hope, and we're going to have a Michael Bennett, a member of the Senate intelligence committee, just in two or three minutes, James, that we could talk to someone who really knows about it later.
But that is a devastating report in advanced where Mueller was. It advanced things we knew it is quite clear. The, uh, that you can argue over the definition of collusion. If that's not collusion, I don't know what is, but clearly they had extensive contacts with Russian intelligence. Now, Roger Stone clearly knew in advance.
Some things that were going to occur. A Manafort was talking to a, uh, a GRU guy. I it's just it's, it's incredible.
James Carville: [00:29:08] You can say like you have a 360 degree drawing and, you know, from that that's established, you know, from the center of that drawing at any point is 3.1, four squared or whatever, PI R squared.
Right? And the Democrats and everybody agrees on that. We agree on the facts and the Democrats say, that's a circle in a Republican, say, there's no evidence that that's a circle. Well, it's a circular thing. It has the radius computes with what a circle is. What the hell is it?
Al Hunt: [00:29:52] I mean, if it looks, if it looks like a circle and if it shapes like this, sir, it's goddamn circle.
James Carville: [00:30:01] We all get about, I end, I, the other thing I say this, the mall investigation, and if I have one. Criticism and I'm sure if she's pen, tell us why. No one, the first thing you learned when you ended up fourth grade and you're watching Colombo, whatever you were a back, whenever Jack Webb follow the money, follow the money, it needs a Mueller or the Senate investigating committee look into financial conflicts.
That Trump may or may not have in Russia. And that's like, you know, wife gets shot. Oh, you know, you know, your first thing you could look up for the boyfriend in life insurance.
Al Hunt: [00:30:53] Well, I, I, you know, you hear people I've heard it this week say, yeah, it's awful, but it's not gonna make any difference. And they say the same thing about.
John Casick and the Lincoln brigade and Cindy McCain and the bulwark. Yeah. But it doesn't make any difference. Uh, and you know, we, again go back to the access Hollywood during the campaign, you know, something after a while there's accumulation and the accumulation does make a difference. And I think Trump is in terrible trouble, primarily because he's governed so incredibly badly.
Uh, but I think that this has just added to it and it makes it, it makes it much, much harder if not impossible for him to ever
James Carville: [00:31:33] most of the people that say that it makes no difference or people that want the democratic party to be a cope. Right. That's just, there is a great divide in this party. And the divide is this.
There are people that say we should be deep rooted coat. Or ideological code, what values that we will never compromise on and that way, and there are other people like me to say, what part of the coalition? And we've got a welcome, and of course the coalition is going to shift. It's going to change, you know, and there's no evidence that these, any Trumpers are in this for any financial motive.
They're not going to be, they're not going to be the lobbyist. I mean, Rick Wilson, a bill crystal, you know, a Tim Miller, Charlie Sykes. They're not just setting up, you know, Potomac strategies after
Al Hunt: [00:32:32] this. Oh, I'd go further than that. I would say they basically have doomed their presence in the Republican party because I think the haters are going to continue to play a huge role, the Trump people and they are going to be so I think, and I think they know this.
Uh, so I think what the Charlie Sikes of the world are doing. I really do. I don't mean to sound naive, but they are doing this at a principal, not Adam.
James Carville: [00:32:54] That is, that is clear to everyone and Marco Rubio, you know, that look that guy's got it. He's gonna have a Senate race in 2022. I mean, he really is. It's a question is we've got to figure out, uh, you know, who's the best, you know, we're going to be, Democrats has gotta be smart.
In, in selecting the candidate, he can beat Rubio by the way, went on a, on another note of some importance. As you know, I've been very big on this. The last year Senate race you had been the far right. Had a big night last night in the primaries. They unseated the Senate majority leader and, and a still have been born in regions.
I've been in very big on this is the AIP. I'll ask her independence party and. You know, Al gross, who's the independent caucus of Democrats. Think Angus King, it'd be hard for him to get to 50, but they can show it to 47. And that, that might, that might spell bingo up there. Yeah.
Al Hunt: [00:33:58] Yeah. Uh, well, you know that there's a pattern, uh, in, in these primaries over the last four or five months in the house, race in Colorado house race in Georgia house race this week, uh, in Florida, uh, these are the.
You know, the crazy Alex Jones types who are winning and yeah, it may only be five, six, seven, eight, whatever have you, but they're being embraced by Kevin McCarthy in the party. And I think that makes them legitimate issues in the fall.
James Carville: [00:34:26] Yeah, I just
Al Hunt: [00:34:28] put it this way. The Democrats had nominated a bunch of serious congressional candidates who were, I've just finished a book on Joe McCarthy who were communists to go back to the past.
You can bet you can bet Republicans will be making the biggest.
James Carville: [00:34:43] Oh yeah. So I, you know, it's just hard to like express admiration you have for Jim Piven. I mean, just what he's accomplished in his life. Just his sort of judiciousness is kind of grace gives it his kind of unified view of the world. It's really, you think about the struggles that he's had.
It's really remarkable to get a chance that it was at the Zenith of his power and respect to, to get a guy like Gavin, spend a good. You know, 25, 30 minutes with him, it was, it was just a big honor. And one of my favorite shows we've ever done
Al Hunt: [00:35:21] well, he's a, he is a, a great politician and a really gentle man, uh, in the best sense of that term, James, there was a flap about, let me just, before we go, about three or four months ago, uh, some people in the Biden campaign, his daughter, as I remember it, you know, also who he was talking about, uh, runs a super PAC, which supports democratic candidates.
And there was a big flap of whether she was being cut out of the Biden campaign. Do you know if that's ever been resolved?
James Carville: [00:35:50] I think it must have. Yeah. It was like the postal service. All right. This was not going to stay in.
Al Hunt: [00:35:57] Yeah. Yeah.
James Carville: [00:35:58] Yeah. And I think it I'm sure that it got, it was one of these issues that got resolved to everybody's satisfaction.
Good. You know, good. But if Jim Clavin calls me and I'm in a bottom campaign and I said, yes, sir, what am I saying yes to today? Yeah, exactly, exactly.
Al Hunt: [00:36:15] More than more than anybody else, uh, in that party, you know, with the exception may be a Barack Obama, but that's it. All right. Listen, um, this, I agree. It's been a good show.
We hope we'll be back again on Friday, uh, for another one, James for 48 hours, that's all 48 hours of stuff. I want you to stay safe. Um, and I want to thank everybody for listening to your 2020 politics war. Um, follow the show on Twitter at politics, war room, uh, emails that politics were rum@gmail.com.
That's politics. We're rummage, email.com. Thank you for subscribing. Please rate us hope with a five star review. And we'll be back on Friday with a, another really, really fantastic guest. Hey, thanks.